Vermis
Resplendent Capital of Aachen Province.
Vermis is a great, sprawling metropolis with old Hyperborean-era walls encompassing two hills. Towers stand at intervals along the wall, flying the banners of Foere and the city’s own flag of a black dragon on a yellow background. It is a river port with a busy harbor shielded by the city’s hills, and three paved high roads enter the city at massive, well-guarded gates.
The great city of Vermis is the capital of Aachen Province and the seat of the lord-governor of all Aachen. Vermis stands on the ruins of the old Hyperborean city of Lecinium, which was burned and abandoned in the wave of catastrophes that followed the planetary pole shift in the late 2400s I.R. Survivors began to rebuild the ruins in the early 2500s, and the town — later, city — of Vermis was officially founded around 2575 I.R. Using building materials and wealth salvaged from the remains of Lecinium, Vermis erected a sturdy wall to defend against bandit attacks and increased its influence over nearby commotes and farms. While most Aachen communities remained independent, Vermis exercised considerable influence over the settlements along the western branch of the Great Amrin River, while Aixe grew influential in the south.
The city’s northern location meant that raids by the Bandit King Rinos fell most heavily on Vermis and its surrounding commotes. Vermis’ militia grew into a professional and well-seasoned army, but its numbers and mobility limited its effectiveness against Rinos. Like the leaders of Aixe to the south, the mayor and other Vermis city officials realized that some sort of union with the neighboring Kingdom of Foere was all but inevitable. When the time came to negotiate, the mayor-palatine swore fealty to the overking in exchange for a fair amount of autonomy, as well as status for his city as capital of Aachen, the newest fiefdom of Foere.
Vermis is a river-port city with a deep harbor in the Great Amrin River protected from river-pirates by an island-tower in the river known as the Harbor’s Bite. Vast quantities of food and trade goods travel down to Vermis from the upriver farms and villages to feed the city’s population. Trade goods find their way onto the city’s riverboats, their great yellow sails proudly marked with the city’s black dragon to boldly warn pirates not to incur the city’s wrath.
Two hills dominate the city: The High Mercha, crowned by the white-walled College of Vermis, and the Groldhill, dominated by the grim citadel of Vermis Grold.
Notable temples in Vermis include the Chapterhouse-Crypt of Jamboor below the High Mercha Hill; the aging stone cathedral of Solanus; the newly expanded temple of Mitra; the Twin-temple of Thyr and Muir; and the Great Mill-Temple of Ceres. The cathedral of Solanus holds the remains of the famous healer-seeress Joianthe of Nains (JOY-anth-ee) in an elaborate casket of silver studded with semi-precious stones, which pilgrims come to visit, praying for cures and healing. As the worship of Solanus continues to decline, fewer pilgrims arrive each year. The cathedral has already closed its academy of acolytes, and rented out most of the great temple’s former outbuildings.
Vermis is a diverse city that hosts folk from all across Akados. Merchants, travelers, diplomats, explorers, and adventurers rub shoulders along the city’s docks, inns, and streets. Goods from all corners of the continent and beyond pass through the city, making Vermis a major trading crossroads. Many major trading houses maintain a presence in Vermis due to its vital location — Houses Drenwal and Gastone-Sheshek of Reme have major offices, while the influential Foere houses of Iskane and Tulius have made Vermis their eastern base of operations. Business for caravan masters and guards is especially brisk, giving rise to several agencies providing assistance and freelance work to those with the proper skills.
Esgryndior
The threat of reprisal borne on the black-dragon sails of Vermis’s riverboats is no idle threat, for the city does indeed possess its own black dragon, a formidable beast named Esgryndior. The dragon lives in a cavern-hold beneath the Citadel of Vermis Grold, with an exit from the steepest cliff-face of the Groldhill. Esgryndior is not exactly tame, nor is he loyal to the city or the Lord-Governor, but he is deeply respectful of the power of the city’s wizards and extraordinarily fond of being fed without needing to stir himself to find food. He revels in the admiration of the citizenry, and the awe of visiting peasants, and generally finds living in the city to be an excellent life for a dragon.
Esgryndior’s presence in the city, and the fact that he deigns to follow orders from the Lord-Governor, keeps the area around the capital city almost entirely clear of major threats. Even other dragons that might think of attacking Esgryndior have enough intelligence not to tangle with the spellcasters and veteran fighters who would unquestionably come to the black dragon’s aid. The safe harbor created by Esgryndior’s presence extends only to a radius of 50 or 60 miles, however, for unless he is called upon to strike deep toward some other threat, the dragon chooses not to tire himself with long flights that feel like work instead of play.
Capital
Vermis, City of (Capital)
Type
Capital
Owning Organization
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